Benjamin Hochman

Hochman: Honesty best policy in players-only meetings

LeBron James, left, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat won six straight games after
a players-only meeting. (Morry Gash, The Associated Press)

NEW YORK — Apparently, players-only meetings are the shady diet pills of the NBA — advertised as a simple, surefire plan to win games.

Seemingly every time we hear about a players-only meeting, it's used as justification for a team righting the ship (you never hear a player say, "Things were bad, so we had a players-only meeting . . . now they're worse!"). So, if the players-only meetings always lead to good play, then why don't they have players-only meetings all the time?

"Yeah," Nuggets center Melvin Ely said with a chuckle, "why do you have to wait until things get severe?"

(I think if things get sloppy at The Denver Post, I'm going to hold a writers-only meeting: "Guys! Enough already with the dangling modifiers!")

Jokes aside, a players-only meeting can be effective if done, well, effectively. The Miami Heat recently held a players-only meeting after starting the season 9-8. The Heat won the next six games.

Of these types of meetings, Nuggets coach George Karl said: "I think they're Band-Aids. But sometimes they turn the corner, sometimes it works. To me, it's a sign that they know there's a problem, so that's good."

Ely is a seven-year veteran, meaning he is also a veteran of players-only meetings. He's seen both sides of these things.

"I was with San Antonio, and we had a players-only meeting. And you can be for (darn) sure that we didn't lose much after that.

"I played for the Clippers. Had a players-only meeting. Still lost."

Ely said players can have a meeting just to have a meeting, but the only way it will work is if the players approach it honestly and with thick skins. Coaches matter, yes. But, as Ely said: "Sometimes, players need a kick in the butt — and the best people to do it are the other players. I could go up to Melo and say something bad, and I bet you that he'd take it worse than if a coach said it.

"It's all dependent on the players. Sometimes, if the right things are said, it can help. But you can't go in there kissing the top player's butt because he's the top player. You got to be truthful, 1 through 15. If that happens, then I think that would work."

Mr. Big Perspective.

Chauncey Billups is a soulful, old-school point guard, and he spoke candidly about rule changes in the past decade that have changed the way players defend because of how fouls are called.

"They took the defense out of the game," the Nuggets guard said. "The future is up-and-down, a lot of scoring, 120 points per game. That's how they want the game to be. They want it to be exciting. And that's fine. I think real basketball is grind-it-out, 85-, 90-point games.

"It might not be that fun for the fans to watch, and that's probably why they changed some of the rules up. When we played San Antonio in the Finals, two defensive teams, (it) had the worst ratings. But it was great basketball."

Interesting look at Melo.

Charlotte coach Larry Brown shared some high praise of Denver's Carmelo Anthony, "I think Carmelo scores as easily as anyone in the league. He doesn't have to take a lot of shots to get points because he gets to the free-throw line. He's very efficient.

"He is physically strong, but he can post up, put it on the floor, and he's a great outside shooter. It's like having a fastball, curveball and a changeup. He is explosive. There are a lot of guys who can really score in our league, but I can't think of anybody who scores as easily as him."

Karl was asked about Brown's praise, and he said something interesting about the amount of touches Carmelo gets in the Denver offense.

"He has the knack of getting easy baskets, scoring in the post, face-up and making shots. And the ball has a way of finding those guys. A lot of people say, 'Why do you run so many plays for Melo?' I say, 'Ah, no. Melo figures what's the play I'm running, and he figures out how to get the ball.' "

"Like Kobe in the triangle. And (with Anthony), I don't think people understand how thick and strong he is. He has great hands, great basketball hands. You don't have to throw him a perfect pass. And he has the knack of knowing where his defender is — he has eyes behind him."

Shaquille O'Neal (Getty Images file photo)

Spotlight on ...

Shaquille O'Neal, Celtics center

The Heat might have the most talent and the Lakers might have the most cred, but a healthy Celtics team might have the most size in Kevin Garnett, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Kendrick Perkins (injured), Jermaine O'Neal (injured) and Shaq, the guy who may have run out of nicknames but hasn't yet run out of steam.

For the Celtics this season, the future Hall of Famer is averaging 11.2 points per game and 6.4 rebounds while battling some injuries.

"Shaq's 38 and he's going to have injuries," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "There are games when he's going to be great, and there will be days where he's 38 and he just can't practice."

In Boston four days ago, O'Neal scored nine points and had six rebounds in 21 minutes against the Nuggets but still had that presence.

"He's always had a youthful heart," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Even though he's a big ol' slug, he plays the game with a bounce and a youthfulness. They're energized by his presence, in my opinion. He and Garnett are different players than they've been in the past, but they're huge, long and they protect the basket. Shaq does it with his huge body and physicality, and Garnett does it with defensive concepts and skills. But they protect the paint better than anyone in the NBA right now."

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

PARIS (AP) — Bye, New York! Ciao, Milan! Bonjour, Paris! The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap the ready-to-wear fashion season. Full Story